The group has horsemeat and venison for dinner, both are extremely gamy, and the horse is absolutely tougher than the venison. However, it's protein, and everyone is tired from the massive amount of walking that they are not used to (save Harry) and the protein is welcome. The odd potatoes are good as well roasted, although all of it could use some salt (indeed, you're all beginning to crave salt).
The next day, as the group continues on, they get closer and closer to the shimmering gold wall. Finally, following the sliced off mountainside, they reach where the shimmering wall meets the stone wall.
There's a trough in the ground 3 feet deep where the wall shimmers down. There are no plants in the trough, not even grass. The ground looks faintly shiny at in the trough, almost like volcanic glass. Where it meets the stone cliff, there is a similar trough running up the side of the stone. Again, the stone at the 'bottom' of the sideways trough seems glassy.
The wall itself ripples up and down, like a heat shimmer, shedding golden light. Looking through it, you all see a forest similar to the one you are in. There is a 6 foot open space on either side of the shimmering wall, 2 ft from the wall, grass begins to grow again. Four feet away, bushes begin to grow again. 6 ft away, small trees sprout up. 10 ft full grown trees sprout up.
No tree limb touches the wall, nor does any come within 4 feet of the wall.
Lumpy aches from the attack. He had never been seriously injured before. Not like that. He makes a potion and his flesh and bone begin to knit.
During dinner, Lumpy was withdrawn. He considers if he is really up to the challenge. Where would his soul go if he died?
At the barrier, Sterling pick up a large twig and tosses it at the wall.
The twig vanishes with a small flash as it hits the wall.
"Ok, that's pretty clear. Don't touch the wall. "
"Kind of like it'd be pretty clear not to go into a volcano, or don't go into the house of the living dead." Neri pointed out. "The problem that I'm running into, is that the rules work differently for us than other things. The wall looks like it'd melt anything that touched it, but I grabbed a gemstone that made me feel like I was being burned alive. As a side note, I've been paying more attention to our surroundings with magic-detecting vision. Everything looks the same as my movement spells. The really weak telekinesis that I can use over and over, and the spell I have that lets me run incredibly fast look similar."
Hmmm. Let me try.
Kong has more understanding of magic, so he casts Detect Magic and looks around...
There is an overwhelming aura of abjuration magic from the wall, the aura drops off as you focus farther away, one step down the power chart every 2 ft. So Overwhelming, Strong, Moderate, Weak, Trace.
...unnatural...
There is an overwhelming aura of abjuration magic from the wall, the aura drops off as you focus farther away, one step down the power chart every 2 ft. So Overwhelming, Strong, Moderate, Weak, Trace.
Not hot at all... but it requires... the right clothing...
"The wall is shielding magic, I think?" Neri offers to Kong. "Id says we have to wear the right clothing to go through. Id, please tell me I'm not supposed to be wearing your fireman armor..?"
It iss zhielding...of a sort...but...what iss it zhielding? Us...or zomething beyond it?
Kong tosses a rock into the shield, watching...
"Right clothing? Well I hope asbestos isn't banned here, because I wouldn't wear anything less than that to go near that deathtrap. "
I think it's talking about something similar to a Faraday suit. It allows electicity to flow around you instead of through. There must be a magical equivalent for the wall.
The stick vanished. It didn't burn up, or disintigrate. I don't smell any residue or see any ashes. I'm not so sure the stick was destroyed.
The rock vanishes with a bit of a flicker of light from the wall.
The rock appears to be in the trough, although it's heavily damaged, cracks in it's surface, splinters of stone broken off. Then it begins to crack again, and again, slowly breaking down. Bits of it turn a sullen red here and there as it breaks down further, spreading out until it's as flat as a sheet of paper. Then it seems to get glassy and smooth, until it's hard to tell where it was anymore.
...told you so...
Faraday cage...maybe. Zat...vas vicket.
Kong looks impressed.
Lumpy watches the rock get crushed and flatten. It was a death trap. The gems. The compounds. The cage. The whole thing made no sense. Where were the wardens?
The wall doesn't extend through the ground. If we can't go through it. We can go under it. I hope we're not the first to think so. Maybe they built a tunnel. I suggest following the wall and look for one.
Mythic power
"Id goes on to say that I should have brought the ruby vest. I'm guessing when he suggested a few days ago that I'd be glad to have it rather than getting fried, he probably should have been more thorough."
Are you suggesting that our given armor is the key to this lock?
Kong looks at his fine silk garment...using Detect Magic still...Ziss looks flimsier zan ze rock...
There are no auras on the silk garments.
"If our armor will let us past, who's going first?"
Zere are no auras on zem. I vould not risk it.
Kong looks at Luna, then everyone else.
I sink ve need a tunnel...or a gate...zomething.
"Assuming it -is- the armor, the fact that mine is in Harry's foundry means that things are less than ideal. And my armor was magical." Neri shrugs. "Just the ability to walk around in an oven, but..."
Jacob was not one to complain at eating the horse, though the taste did not agree with him. We do what we must to survive. "I'm used to riding these - not eating them. Poor Betsy."
Yet with the talk of attempting to surpass the seemingly fatal wall, he did balk somewhat. "I'm none to eager to try that, but maybe as a last resort. Think about this though: What would the purpose of a wall like this be? I don't think it's just for containment - maybe more of a funnel. Like a corral with a bottleneck for cattle to go through." Based on their limited field of vision, Jacob was unconvinced the wall extended around them entirely. "And if we are surrounded completely by it, I would think there is some purpose, some reason for us being brought here and contained. But for those adventurous among us, please, have at it."
So much for discussion...if we're rats in a maze, we'll have to eventually think outside of the box, but we have to understand the box first.
Mentally and physically ready for it, Kong turns in. Wake me for a watch...whenefer.
Neri shrugs and decides he'll help to keep the first watch. He doesn't have any ideas beyond the suggestions made by Id, so he's got nothing to share.
Harry will take a midwatch. He doesn't need to sleep a continuous stretch.
Luna will take whatever is needed, she wanted to get close to that wall this would be the first time she could use some of her new power.
...not very solid looking...you want a real wall, it needs to be sturdy... not something you can walk through with the right gear...
...Doesn't look all that hard to sneak through...but the clothes make the man...or I guess woman...
...sometimes it's not what's comfortable...it's what is yours that you can demand...
...never heard of a tale where the hero's gave up at the first obstacle...how about you?
...bah...afraid of death...worthless...grow some balls...or use that scythe...
...directness is more noticeable than subtlety...but it's harder to get across...across...across...across...across...
"Id. That is not even remotely helpful."
...So sorry...I did tell you earlier to bring it...too bad you can't will things to you...
"Seems to me we've been typecast here and need to proceed with our original load out in hand. So I reckon it's back to the town. "
Neri smirked. "Now that -is- helpful."
Neri concentrated on the firesuit, willing it forward as he had done with the blade previously. He hoped that Harry's understudies weren't using it for the time being. That would leave a mark. Though if they were using it at night, that'd be highly unusual.
Neri concentrates on the armor, and there's a flicker of black and red over him, and then he's wearing the armor. Again. He looks about ready to fall over with two sets of armor on.
"Oh yeah, guess we can do that trick too. " and he'll will on his original equipment.
"Id... you... -jerk-..." Neri struggled to try to reach the buckles, then sighed. "...Medic..?"
...hahahah...too bad you can't will the buckles open...
Harry's original armor reappears on his frame.
Again casting Detect Magic...looking at Harry's armor...is there any sort of magical aura?
Harry's hand reaches out to the wall, the metal gauntlets come into contact with the wall. Sparks fly, but nothing seems to happen to his hand.
There's a pressure on your hand, nothing you can't resist, but if you were to stop exerting yourself, you're fairly sure your hand would be slammed into the ground... 6 ft down in the bottom of the trench. You're not sure jumping would be a good idea.
...well...til you're rea...return... The voice seems to fade in and out as Harry touches the wall. ...remember...re safety lie...ood luc...ast hop...
Not before he touches the wall... but as he touches it, the overwhelming aura of the wall seems to spread into his armor.
I do have much more to learn of ziss magic...
Kong gets up, picks up his pack and walks into the wall.
No worse than the inside of a bear. Dead is dead after all. and he will take steady measured paces until he clears the wall.
...try...earn...isdom...eath...
As Kong steps through the wall (which requires a step down into the trench, and then walking forward, then climbing out), the wall sparks and hisses. Energy cascades over Kong, and it feels like a great pressure pushing down on him, as if he were deep under water. Finally though, he climbs out on the other side and the pressure is gone... as is the cold pit in the back of his head. There's now just an emptyness... a void...
Kong moves through the wall, stepping down into the pit that the wall forms, and then climbing out on the other side. Where he passes, the wall spits and sparks energy angrily.
The armor and weapon are now +1 each.
The great pressure descends on Harry again, like a million pounds of air pushing down on him. But he pushes through and climbs out the other side. The warm spot in the back of his head is gone when he emerges, only an echoing void where it was.
Harry moves carefully through the wall, which also spits and sparks around him.
Harry's armor and hammer became +1 as well.
Harry turns back to the wall and waves. "Come on in, the water's fine. " not sure if they can hear me anyway, but that called for a smartass comment.
Everyone but Kong just see's him motion and mouth something.
Kong can hear him clearly, being on the same side of the wall.
Vell...issn't that interesting? Ze weapons...and armor...gained magic.
Kong looks at them closely for a moment, then at the surrounding terrain...unsure of what to expect.
Neri worked his way through the wall of energy, without taking off the armor. "You know Id, two things. The first... this isn't really any more uncomfortable than it normally is to wear. The second is, what did he mean when he said you lost the armor all the time, when you could just will it back to yourself."